Pants with invisible quick access opening

ABSTRACT

A pair of pants ( 1 ) having an invisible quick access opening ( 2 ) along a center seam ( 10 ) of the pants. The opening extends along the center seam between a right leg ( 5 ) and a left leg ( 6 ) of the pants. The opening can be opened or shut preferably using an elongated zipper ( 12 ). When the zipper is in a closed position, it is not visible on the exterior surface ( 4 ) of the pants, thereby creating the appearance of a sewn center seam from the outside of the pants.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to pant designs, more particularly, pants having a zipper located along a center seam that allows wearers, particularly females, to go to the bathroom without having to unfasten and lower the waist of the pants.

Many law enforcement officers and military personnel, especially females, are required to wear uniforms as part of their jobs. A current problem many of these females face is being able to quickly and easily remove their pants with all of the gear they are carrying so that they can use the bathroom. For example, law enforcement officers wear gear belts around their waists. Gear belts serve a functional purpose of storing and carrying items, such as a gun, handcuffs, ammunition, radio, etc., while in the field. Gear belts are worn around the waist and held in place using “keepers,” which attach the gear belt to the pants, thereby preventing the gear belt from sliding side to side around the waist of the wearer. When a female officer is in the field and needs to go to the bathroom, she must remove the gear belt and all of the keepers, store the gear belt, pull down her pants, go to the bathroom, pull up her pants, tuck in a body armor vest and shirt into the pants, put the gear belt back around her waist and finally re-attach the keepers to the gear belt. This process can be time consuming, thereby taking away from the officer's time on the job. This process can also pose a danger considering that female officers are often forced to use public bathroom stalls to relieve themselves. When a female officer removes her gear belt she has to find a place to store the gear belt. She cannot hang it on a door or place the gear belt on the floor because she has to keep her firearm secure. Thus, she is forced to throw the gear belt over her shoulder while using the bathroom which can be very awkward. The same problem exists with male officers who find themselves having to use a bathroom in some situations

Therefore, a need exists for a pair of pants having an invisible opening that will allow a person to go to the bathroom without having to lower the pants and/or remove any gear from the pants.

The relevant prior art includes the following references:

Pat. No. (U.S. unless stated otherwise) Inventor Issue/Publication Date 2006/0191059 Smith Aug. 31, 2006 2006/0174399 Nikolayev et al. Aug. 10, 2006 6,928,661 Lewis et al. Aug. 16, 2005 6,192,522 Schreib Feb. 27, 2001 6,161,223 Andrews Dec. 19, 2000 5,983,401 Ohara Nov. 16, 1999 5,010,595 Stradley Apr. 30, 1991 4,578,828 Smith, Sr. et al. Apr. 01, 1986

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a pair of pants that allow a wearer to use the bathroom without having to remove the pants.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pair of pants having an opening along the center seam that is invisible.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a pair of pants that conform to uniform standards for police and military personnel.

The present invention fulfills the above and other objects by providing an invisible quick access opening along the center seam of a pair of pants. The opening extends from the front waistband of the pants along the center seam of the front of the pants, the center seam of the crotch and up the center seam of the rear of the pants towards the rear waistband. The opening can be opened or shut using an elongated zipper. An additional feature of the pants is that the zipper is not visible when it is an a closed position. When the zipper is in a closed position, it has the appearance of a normal seam from the outside of the pants. A zipper flap located on the front of the pants further gives the appearance of a normal pair of pants. To use the quick access opening, a wearer simply unzips the opening as needed and commences with using the restroom. Then, the wearer simply zips the opening shut.

The present invention may also be in the form of shorts and may utilize other fastening means, such as a hook and loop fastener, snaps, etc., instead of a zipper. The pants may also be used by individuals other than police and military personnel, such as hunters, boaters and so forth.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a pair of pants of the present invention having a quick access opening in a closed position;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a pair of pants of the present invention having a quick access opening in an open position;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of a pair of pants of the present invention having a quick access opening in an open position and a waistband in an open position; and

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of a pair of pants of the present invention having a quick access opening in a closed position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

For purposes of describing the preferred embodiment, the terminology used in reference to the numbered accessories in the drawings is as follows:

-   1. pants -   2. opening -   3. interior surface -   4. exterior surface -   5. right leg -   6. left leg -   7. upper edge -   8. front section -   9. rear section -   10. center seam -   11. fastening means -   12. zipper -   13. waist band -   14. exterior flap -   15. stitches -   16. interior flap

With reference to FIG. 1, a front perspective view of a pair of pants 1 of the present invention having a quick access opening 2 in a closed position is shown. The pants 1 have an interior surface 3 and an exterior surface 4. A right leg 5 having an upper edge 7, a front section 8 and a rear section 9 is attached to a left leg 6 having an upper edge 7, a front section 8 and a rear section 9 along a center seam 10 via an fastening means 11, such as a zipper 12 (as shown here), a hook and loop fastener, snaps, etc. The right leg 5 and left leg 6 are also attached to a waist band 13 along the upper edges 7. When in the closed position, the zipper 9 is not visible on the exterior surface 4 of the pants 1, thereby creating the appearance that the center seam 10 is a sewn seam creating the appearance of a normal pair of pants 1. The zipper 9 allows a wearer to create an opening 2 along the center seam 7, as shown further in FIGS. 2 and 3. An exterior flap 14, which may be created by placing stitches 15 on the front section 8 of the pants 1, further creates the appearance of a normal pair of pants 1.

With reference to FIG. 2, a front perspective view of a pair of pants 1 of the present invention having a quick access opening 2 in an open position is shown. The pants 1 have an interior surface 3 and an exterior surface 4. A right leg 5 having an upper edge 7, a front section 8 and a rear section 9 is attached to a left leg 6 having an upper edge 7, a front section 8 and a rear section 9 along a center seam 10 via an fastening means 11, such as a zipper 12 (as shown here), a hook and loop fastener, snaps, etc. The right leg 5 and left leg 6 are also attached to a waist band 13 along the upper edges 7. The zipper 9 allows a wearer to create an opening 2 from the front section 8 of the pants 1 to the rear section 9 of the pants 1 along the center seam 7.

With reference to FIG. 3, a front perspective view of a pair of pants 1 of the present invention having a quick access opening 2 in an open position and a waistband 13 in an open position is shown. The pants 1 have an interior surface 3 and an exterior surface 4. A right leg 5 having an upper edge 7, a front section 8 and a rear section 9 is attached to a left leg 6 having an upper edge 7, a front section 8 and a rear section 9 along a center seam 10 via an fastening means 11, such as a zipper 12 (as shown here), a hook and loop fastener, snaps, etc. The right leg 5 and left leg 6 are also attached to a waist band 13 along the upper edges 7. The zipper 9 allows a wearer to create an opening 2 from the front section 8 of the pants 1 to the rear section 9 of the pants 1 along the center seam 7. An interior flap 16 is located on the pants 1 so that when the zipper 9 is in a closed position, the interior flap 16 is between the wearer and the zipper 9, thereby reducing any chaffing that may be caused by the zipper 9.

Finally, with reference to FIG. 4, a rear perspective view of a pair of pants 1 of the present invention having a quick access opening 2 in an open position is shown. The pants 1 have an interior surface 3 and an exterior surface 4. A right leg 5 having an upper edge 7, a front section 8 and a rear section 9 is attached to a left leg 6 having an upper edge 7, a front section 8 and a rear section 9 along a center seam 10 via an fastening means 11, such as a zipper 12 (as shown here), a hook and loop fastener, snaps, etc. The right leg 5 and left leg 6 are also attached to a waist band 13 along the upper edges 7. When in the closed position, the zipper 9 is not visible on the exterior surface 4 of the pants 1, thereby creating the appearance that the center seam 10 is a sewn seam creating the appearance of a normal pair of pants 1. The zipper 9 allows a wearer to create an opening 2 along the center seam 7, as shown previously in FIGS. 2 and 3.

It is to be understood that while a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and drawings. 

1. An article of clothing comprising: a right leg having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a front section a rear section, and an upper edge; a left leg having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a front section a rear section, and an upper edge a waist band connected to the right leg and the left leg along the upper edges of the right leg and the left leg; and said right leg and left leg connected to each other along a center seam via a fastening means.
 2. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein: said fastening means is located on the interior surfaces of the right leg and left leg.
 3. The pants of claim 1 wherein: said fastening means is a zipper.
 4. The article of clothing of claim 2 wherein: said fastening means is a zipper.
 5. The pants of claim 3 wherein: said zipper is not visible on the exterior surface of the pants when placed in a closed position.
 6. The article of clothing of claim 4 wherein: said zipper is not visible on the exterior surface of the pants when placed in a closed position.
 7. The article of clothing of claim 1 wherein: said fastening means is a hook and loop fastener.
 8. The article of clothing of claim 1 further comprising: an interior flap located along the center seam.
 9. The article of clothing of claim 1 further comprising: an exterior flap located on the exterior surface of the pants.
 10. The pants of claim 1 wherein: said article of clothing is a pair of shorts.
 11. An article of clothing comprising: a right leg having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a front section a rear section, and an upper edge; a left leg having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a front section a rear section, and an upper edge; a waist band connected to the right leg and the left leg along the upper edges of the right leg and the left leg; and said right leg and left leg connected to each other along a center seam via a fastening means located on the interior surfaces of the right leg and left leg.
 12. The article of clothing of claim 11 wherein: said fastening means is a zipper.
 13. The article of clothing of claim 12 wherein: said zipper is not visible on the exterior surface of the pants when placed in a closed position.
 14. The article of clothing of claim 11 further comprising: an interior flap located along the center seam.
 15. The article of clothing of claim 11 further comprising: an exterior flap located on the exterior surface of the pants.
 16. The article of clothing of claim 11 wherein: said article of clothing is a pair of shorts.
 17. An article of clothing of pants comprising: a right leg having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a front section a rear section, and an upper edge; a left leg having an interior surface, an exterior surface, a front section a rear section, and an upper edge; a waist band connected to the right leg and the left leg along the upper edges of the right leg and the left leg; said right leg and left leg connected to each other along a center seam via a zipper located on the interior surfaces of the right leg and left leg; and said zipper is not visible on the exterior surface of the pants when placed in a closed position.
 18. The article of clothing of claim 17 further comprising: an interior flap located along the center seam.
 19. The article of clothing of claim 17 further comprising: an exterior flap located on the exterior surface of the pants.
 20. The article of clothing of claim 17 wherein: said article of clothing is a pair of shorts. 